


The Lost Key

by TheShatteredRose



Series: Cease the Suffering [3]
Category: Etrian Odyssey Series
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-12
Updated: 2015-09-15
Packaged: 2018-04-14 06:38:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4554537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheShatteredRose/pseuds/TheShatteredRose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hamza has been keeping a couple of secrets from his guild - for their benefit. But it all unravels before him when an old friend is held for ransom...for the Tree Key. Why has he kept the key a secret from his guild? And what lies behind the locked door on the second floor?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First up, since Untold2 has finally come out, I feel that I should remind my readers that the CtS series belongs in the EO2 setting, NOT the EOU2. I’ve been playing EOU2 game and am rather surprised by how different everything is. The main story’s the same, but everything else is completely different. I’m not complaining (accept about the removal of the Lagaard Hospital!) as some of the new features are fun and interesting, but I’m treating it as a completely different game. You know what I mean? So, yeah, no U2 elements in this series as there are too many and too diverse. Mainly because I may write another novel set in that ‘universe’. Keeping my options open.
> 
> Secondly, thanks to everyone who has literally anything to do with this series! This book (if you can call it that) is only about five chapters long. So, enough of me yabbering, please enjoy!

Quests involving the search for the missing, be them explorers or soldiers, rarely ended well. They were usually, and rather unfortunately, body recovery missions. However, as the ever reliable Guardians Guild escorted in three Lagaard Soldiers that were reported lost in the third stratum into the hospital, a sigh of relief was shared amongst all the healers.

“Great job, everyone,” Dr Stiles said as he directed them to an emergency patient ward.

“This is all of them,” Axel said as he helped a frost-bitten and shivering soldier onto a bed. “They’re all accounted for.”

“They’re suffering from frostbite and hypothermia,” Lynus explained to Dr Stiles as the two of the stayed at the back of the group, allowing the emergency staff to take care of the patients. “But no physical injuries.”  
   
“We’ll be sure to warm them up,” Dr Stiles reassured with a smile, again grateful for the Guardians’ luck and courage. “We appreciate the hard work.”

But Axel and the others waved him off good-naturedly. The fact that they were useful was all the thanks they needed or wanted. “Nah, think nothing of it,” Axel said before he and the others exited the room in order not to get in the way.

Lynus moved to follow, but Dr Stiles pulled him to a stop.

“Ah, that’s right. Lynus? I’m a tad busy at the moment; could you do a house delivery for me?”

Lynus brushed back a strand of his orange hair. He was intrigued. He didn’t know the hospital did house deliveries. “Yes, of course.”

Dr Stiles smiled, having expected such a response and walked over to the reception desk to pick up a brown paper bag and a slip of paper. “Here’s the address and here’s the parcel,” he said as he handed them both to Lynus. “I appreciate your help.”

“It’s fine,” Lynus replied politely before making his way over to Axel and explained to him the unusual request.

“House visit?” Axel questioned as he slipped his arm around Lynus’ shoulders, pulling him against his side.

“Hm,” Lynus hummed as he curled closer to him and placed his hand against Axel’s back and tilted his head back. “I think he might be kicking me out.”

Axel gave a small laugh as they made their way out of the hospital. “You have worked hard today,” he said before he leaned his head down and kissed Lynus on the lips. “I’ll see you back at the inn.”

“Won’t be long,” Lynus promised as he slipped from Axel’s arms and they parted ways, Axel headed to the inn while Lynus followed the directions of the slip of paper Dr Stiles gave him.

As Lynus walked hurriedly through the streets, mulling over his latest medical research, a sound pulled him to a stop. He lifted his head up and looked around, his gaze quickly falling upon a figure hunched over a stair railing at the bottom of a set of steps leading into a residency. The man seemed to be having difficulties breathing, his gasps raspy and harsh.

With his silver hair and lute strung across his back, he was instantly recognisable.

That sound…it wasn’t from someone who had a few too many drinks at the bar. They were sick. Very sick.

“Mr Cedric!” Lynus gasped as he rushed forward, shoving the parcel and directions into his bag. He placed his hand on Cedric’s upper back, feeling him shuddering under his hand. He was hyperventilating, so Lynus uttered a refresh spell to ease the stress on his lungs, as well to help calm him down.

He then waited until Cedric had settled himself down somewhat.

“Oh, it’s you, Lynus,” Cedric wheezed breathlessly as he lifted his head to look directly at Lynus. Besides his flushed cheeks, he looked pale and sweaty. “Sorry for the sight…”

“What happened?” Lynus asked gently.

But Cedric shook his head and offered him a shaky smile. “It’s nothing,” he insisted. However, a moment later, his smile slipped from his lips and he drew in as shuddering breath. “C-could you just help me inside? J-just fell short…”

“Of course,” Lynus said as he slipped an arm around Cedric’s back, his hand resting against his side. He then grasped at Cedric’s arm with the other, allowing Cedric to be fully supported against him. “Here.”

It took a few minutes to help Cedric up the stairs and in through the front door, but Lynus was a patient person. While getting inside and into a more comfortable environment would be the best thing for Cedric, pushing him to get there would be the worst.

Reaching the top step, Cedric fiddled with the door before unlocking it. Lynus then helped him inside, the older troubadour taking a moment to catch his breath as the door slipped closed behind them.

“Here will be fine,” Cedric insisted.

Lynus, however, was having none of that. He wasn’t the type to simply escort someone sickly into through the front door and expect them to be alright on their own. Oh no, he wasn’t going to leave until he made for certain that Cedric would be alright. This event may have happened to him before, but that didn’t mean a thing.

“Hamza has warned you about me, right?” Lynus stated more so than asked.

A breathy laugh past through Cedric’s lips and he nodded his head idly. Wisely, he wordlessly pointed toward a door. Hopefully it was his bedroom.

Again, Lynus waited patiently for Cedric to catch his breath and to will himself forward. Being sick was a very exhausting experience. And when one was this ill, all they wanted to do was to lie down and sleep.

Reaching the room, Lynus was glad that it was in fact a bedroom and he helped Cedric over toward the bed. Cedric dropped down onto the bed with a sigh of relief. He then set about struggling off his lute and cloak in order to get himself comfortable.

Once he had Cedric comfortable in his bed, Lynus briefly remembered the parcel Dr Stiles had given him. It was a moment after that that he realised the directions were leading him to Cedric’s place.

So the parcel…?

Lynus reached into his bag and pulled out the package. “This must be your medicine.”

Cedric glanced over in Lynus’ direction before glancing at the paper bag in his hands. He then offered him a polite smile. “Yes, Dr Stiles always ensures that I have enough.”

“Let me prepare it for you,” Lynus insisted.

Cedric looked genuinely grateful. “You really are a delight.”

As he carefully lined up the dosage of the medicine, Lynus took a moment to glance around. Cedric’s house appeared to be a quaint little town house. Single story with a small kitchenette and bathroom. Not exactly a bachelor pad by any means, but cosy nonetheless.

“You have a lovely home,” Lynus commented.

“Thank you,” Cedric replied sincerely. “It’s too big for one person, but too small for a guild.”

Lynus nodded his head idly. He, however, found his attention immediately drawn back to the medicine he was preparing. The medicine was for the throat and lungs. Normal medicine for troubadours who over exert themselves. But this concoction…seemed to be extra concentrated. It wasn’t a soothing agent…

Cedric’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts. “You must be feeling confused.”

“Sorry,” Lynus automatically apologised, turning to give Cedric his full attention. “I’m not being nosy.”

Cedric gazed at him for a moment, in complete silence before once more offering him a small smile. “…It’s fine. It’s a bit of a sad tale, really. Especially for a troubadour.”

Picking up the medicine, Lynus slipped into a chair next to Cedric’s bed. He handed Cedric his medicine, wanting him to take it before he said or did anything else. Taking the medicine, Cedric swallowed it quickly, a distasteful grimace on his face. He had taken this medicine for quite some time, it seemed.

“I’m unable to sing,” Cedric suddenly said as he rolled the medicine bottle between his two hands. “It’s too painful, I’m afraid.”

Lynus was shocked by the admission, but his feelings soon turned into sincere empathy. “Did something happen for you to lose the most of the function of your lungs?” he asked gently.

A faraway look appeared in Cedric’s eyes. “…Monster attack. My lungs were seared. I was very ill. And haven’t recovered fully.”

S-seared lungs?

Lynus immediately wanted to ask him what the monster was and where it happened, but he sensed that Cedric was holding back the details. Either because he wanted nothing to do with the memories or he was protecting something. A secret.

And Lynus had no right to ask someone to give up their secret to him. So he held his tongue.

“I’m actually very lucky to still have a voice at all,” Cedric said, trying to sound up-beat and optimistic. But that mournful expression soon appeared on his face again. “But…I cannot sing. For very long, at least. Not in a way that’s useful.”

…To lose one’s abilities, the only thing they were good at…

Lynus didn’t want to imagine what that would feel like. He couldn’t fathom living in a world where he didn’t have his healing abilities. Without them…what good was he? What could he possibility do without them?

“I have good days and bad days,” Cedric said. “More good than bad, thankfully.”

“Did you make the decision not to explore anymore?” Lynus asked gently.

Cedric sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. “Dr Stiles actually recommended it.”

Lynus felt his stomach clench at the lost emotion in Cedric’s eyes. “It must have been hard for you. Not being able to sing.”

“I can still write songs,” Cedric said with a forced smile on his lips. “And I can still play my musical instruments. But…I would like to sing again.”

“I want to help,” Lynus abruptly stated without a second thought. “If you’ll let me.”

Cedric looked genuinely surprised. He turned to gaze at Lynus for a few silent moments, gauging his sincerity. However, a forced smile appeared on his lips, giving Lynus the inclination that Cedric had received several offers of help in the past, and none of them resulted in any positive results.

“Oh, I’m sure you have better things to do,” Cedric said.

Reaching out to gently take Cedric’s hand in his, Lynus looked straight into his eyes. “The health of others is very important to me,” he said without any hesitation.

As another look of surprised spread across Cedric’s face, Lynus turned to his bag and dug around for a moment, pulling out a notebook. He placed it on his lap and flipped through the pages until he found a blank one.

“Is it ok if I ask you a few questions?” Lynus asked as he picked up a pencil.

… … … … …

Hamza quickly made his way through the streets of Lagaard. When Axel complained to him that Lynus was taking so long with a house delivery, Hamza was fairly certain he knew who the recipient was.

It was usually around this time of month that Cedric received a new batch of his medication. While he would not be remotely surprised if Lynus lingered behind to speak with the friendly troubadour, Hamza couldn’t help but feel a sense of concern as well.

Cedric hadn’t been feeling well lately.

Just as Hamza reached toward the front door, it opened before him and a certain orange-haired medic appeared on the other side.

Hamza blinked. “Lynus?”

“Ah, Hamza,” Lynus greeted with a smile as he took a step away from the door to allow Hamza to step inside. “Good, you’re here. I was just leaving and didn’t want to leave Mr Cedric alone for long.”

Hamza followed Lynus silently as he led him toward Cedric’s bedroom. He continued to stay quiet as Lynus prattle idly with Cedric. He couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow due to the amount of fuss Lynus was making over Cedric. Something must have happened.

“Mr Cedric, you need to stay in bed for today and when I get my hands on some mint leaves, I’d like you to try the steam inhalation technique I told you about.” Lynus then abruptly turned his attention back to Hamza, looking up at him with a somewhat hopeful expression. “Oh, right. Hamza? Do you have any plans for the rest of the day?”

Hamza blinked before shaking his head. “Well, no.”

“Good!” Lynus smiled happily as he clapped his hands in front of him. “I’d like to head to the second stratum to gather some mint leaves. Just a quick visit.”

“Take Tobyn with you,” Hamza said as Lynus gathered his belongings in preparation to leave. “He wants to document more information on gathering materials.”

“Ok,” Lynus said as he nodded his head eagerly before turning his attention back to Cedric. “I’ll be back to check on you, Mr Cedric. Take it easy!”

Then he was gone.

Honestly…Lynus really had no idea how much of an impact he left on people.

A whirlwind of healing.

Shaking his head, Hamza approached Cedric who was sitting up in bed. “Did something happen?” he asked. Cedric looked pale and tired, but not as badly as he had witnessed previously.

Cedric chuckled lightly. “You have a very sweet medic on your side.”

Quickly putting two and two together, Hamza realised that Cedric must have told Lynus about his illness and symptoms. That would explain why Lynus was eager to gather more mint leaves from the second stratum.

Which would mean…

“Did you tell him how?” Hamza asked softly as he took a seat next to the bed.

Cedric shook his head. “He never asked what kind of monster attacked me. He was…very considerate.”

Hamza felt torn. What had happened to Cedric…Where it had happened…He didn’t want to keep secrets from his guild. But he had his reasons not to tell them. It was traumatic. He didn’t want the same thing to happen to them.

“They’re good kids,” Cedric suddenly said, as if reading his thoughts. “They know their limitations.”

“…Indeed.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Long time no see, Hamza.”

Hamza felt tense. And rather annoyed. He recognised that voice. It had been years, but he still recognised that egotistical sneer of his former ‘rival’ anywhere. The last he had heard of her, of her guild, they had ventured to Etria in hopes of reaching fame and fortune quicker there.

Guild Infamous. A guild of fame and fortune hungry explorers whose egos were as vast as the mighty Yggdrasil tree itself. They were formed as a guild around roughly the same time as Hamza’s first guild, and from that moment on, they were rivals.

A rather one-sided rivalry, actually.

Hamza was tempted to simply ignore them, having moved on from that time of his life. However, he glanced over his shoulder when he heard a muffling sound, like someone trying to talk but was being restrained somehow.

“Cedric!” Hamza called as he spun around.

In a male gunner’s hold was Cedric, looking pale and very afraid. He had a hand clamped against his mouth, preventing him from talking, only able to utter sounds of distress as he struggled against the burly man. No matter how much he tugged at the man’s arm, he wasn’t able to struggle free.

“Heard you got yourself a new guild,” a female voice taunted. “I wonder what happened to the old one.”

Tearing his gaze away from Cedric, Hamza turned his attention to the guild that was holding him hostage. His gaze immediately collided with that of his ‘rival’. He felt his jaw tightened.

Anaxarete was her name, a war magus and leader of the guild. She looked childish and harmless, but that was simply a facade. She was older than she looked. She was also as cold and calculating as any veteran explorer could be.

It was almost insulting to think that they were of the same class.

Behind her were two more young females, who were also older than they looked. A landsknecht and ronin. He recognised them, but barely remembered their names. They weren’t significant to him in anyway.

There were a couple of new faces in her guild as well. The male gunner and dark hunter was a pair he had not seen before. It made him inwardly question what happened to her old teammates. He, however, held his tongue. In all honesty, he didn’t care. Not when that gunner was holding Cedric hostage.

“What are you doing? Release him,” Hamza demanded.

Anaxarete simply smirked at him. “No.”

“What are you planning?” Hamza asked, making no attempt to hide his suspicion or his loathing.

“You have the Tree Key,” Anaxarete said with a sense of superiority in his voice, idly flicking a strand of her long hair over her shoulder. “We know you do.”

Hamza gritted his teeth, staying quiet. He wasn’t sure how they knew that he held the Tree Key. He glanced over to Cedric, finding his old friend peering at him through one eye, the other squeezed shut in pain. Cedric was gripping at his captor’s arm tightly, trying to shake his head. Although he could not talk, Hamza knew what he was trying to tell him.

He was saying no, that he wasn’t worth it.

“We’ll meet you in the labyrinth,” Anaxarete continued as she made a quick motion with her hand toward her guildmates. “Second floor. You know what I’m talking about.”

With one last infuriating smirk of superiority, they moved toward the labyrinth.

Hamza felt useless, unable to do anything but watch, his gaze lingering on Cedric until they could no longer see each other. He would not be able to take them all on without the possibility of Cedric getting hurt in the tussle. He wouldn’t put it past any of them purposely harming him in order to get back at him.

Reaching into his back pocket, Hamza pulled out a strangely shaped key. It was the Tree Key. He had been carrying it for seven years. He had always carried it with him, to prevent anyone else from misusing it.

To prevent anyone from rushing to their deaths.

Tightening his hand around the key, Hamza steeled himself. He had to get Cedric back. He had suffered enough. He was more important than a key.

Re-adjusting his blade against his back, Hamza spun on his heel and made a direct bee-line to the labyrinth. Getting to the second floor won’t be difficult. He knew the exact location of that Tree Door Anaxarete was referring. He knew what was behind that door. He just needed to free Cedric before guild Infamous found out for themselves.

His mind was so focused that he failed to see the recognisable figure that had been hiding in the shadows the entire time.

… … … … …

Tapping his pencil against his book, Lynus silently went over Cedric's symptoms; headache, sweating, respiratory difficulties and an increased heartrate. Some pretty common symptoms...they could mean anything. He needed to do more investigation.

He mentioned something about a monster attack. Perhaps he was…Ah! Maybe he was poisoned and it was still affecting his immune system?

Cedric mentioned seared lungs, so it was possibility that was where the poisoning occurred. Poisonous dust or spores were most likely responsible. Some kind of microorganism seemed more likely.

He might be able to create a medicine to remove and dissolve the spores. If they were in fact responsible for his illness. Another possibility was a toxin injected into his blood stream. A mild toxin, one not to kill him outright, but to slowly cause his organs to suffer.

Of course, it was all theory at the moment.

In any case, a tonic that should improve and strengthen the body’s natural immune system would be beneficial for Cedric. He just needed to find the materials that would be useful.

Placing his pencil down onto his notebook, Lynus placed his hands on the table and pushed himself to his feet. He wandered from his room and down the stairs, heading to the first room at the bottom of the steps. The door was open, but he knocked on the door frame anyway, gaining the attention of the sole occupant sitting at the table.

“Tobyn?” Lynus called out before venturing into the room. “Sorry, can I borrow the item codex for a moment?”

Tobyn lifted his head up from where he was studying a series of maps to regard Lynus for a moment before nodding and reaching for the leather bound book. “Sure. After something?”

“Thanks,” Lynus said as he took the book in his hands and flicked through the pages. “Working on a possible antidote to long term poisoning. Monster attacks aren’t always superficial. Sometimes symptoms won’t appear until much later.”

Tobyn leaned back in his chair and stretched his legs out in front of him. “That probably depends on the method of poisoning.”

“You’re right,” Lynus said with a sigh as he lifted his gaze from the book to give Tobyn his attention. “Before I can make an antidote, I need to know the type of monster, don’t I?”

He had wondered when Cedric was telling him his symptoms, but there was hesitancy in his voice. He didn’t want to go into too much detail and Lynus didn’t want to push him. He was holding back for a reason. To demand that he tell him everything would cause him to lose all trust in him.

Trust was more important to him than respect.

“Who’s the antidote for?” Tobyn asked as he crossed his ankles and folded his arms over his chest.

“Do you know much about Mr Cedric?” Lynus asked, only to receive a rather blank look in response.

“Who?”

“I see,” Lynus murmured with a slight frown. He couldn’t help but wonder if Hamza was, well, hiding Cedric from the limelight of being an explorer. Or Cedric was the one who insisted on not having too much contact with the guild.

“He’s Hamza’s friend,” Lynus explained to Tobyn. “Apparently they were teammates before Hamza created this guild.”

Tobyn frowned. “I didn’t know that…” he murmured, sounding a little baffled.

Lynus gave him a small smile in understanding. “I only found out because I helped Mr Cedric at the hospital.”

“Then why hasn’t Hamza enlisted him in the guild as well?” Tobyn asked.

“I wondered that, too,” Lynus confessed as he lifted a hand to push back his hair from his forehead. He then answered Tobyn’s question without giving too much detail. “Apparently, Mr Cedric suffered a serious attack in the labyrinth and Dr Stiles has requested that he gives up exploration.”

Tobyn looked surprised. “He’s that ill?”

Lynus smiled sadly. “He’s certainly not good.”

Idly nodding his head, Tobyn held his chin in thought. “I wonder if Jhon or Shen knows of Cedric. They’ve known Hamza longer than I have.”

“I don’t want to go snooping, you know?” Lynus said with a slight shrug. “We all have secrets, after all.”

“That’s true,” Tobyn murmured as he dropped his hand from his chin and folded it across his chest again. “I’m sure he has his reasons.”

“Hm,” Lynus hummed idly as he turned his attention back to the item codex, focusing mostly on materials found in take spots. “More mint leaves and some mugwort might come in handy as a base…”

The two of them fell into a somewhat comfortable silence as they focused their attention back to their tasks and research. A short while after that, though, they were interrupted when Axel, followed by Jhon and Chi-hung, entered the room.

“Hey,” Axel said as he made his way over to Lynus and slipped an arm around his waist as he stood next to him. “Have either of you two seen Hamza?”

Lynus frowned and shook his head. “No, not recently,” he admitted.

Jhon glanced over to Tobyn, who answered silently with a shake of his head. “That’s odd,” he murmured as he held his chin, furrowing his brow.

“Something wrong?” Lynus asked, sensing their mild concern. They weren’t overly worried as Hamza was a strong leader and knew how to take care of himself, but it was odd that wasn’t seen around. Maybe he was paying Cedric a visit?

But what Axel said next made Lynus’ concern to increase. “Chi-hung is getting restless.”

“Maybe he’s out training?” Tobyn offered as he sat up straight in his chair.

But Jhon shook his head. “Lirit and Rahas are in town.”

Lynus glanced down at Chi-hung, the white tiger looking noticeably agitated and fidgety. “Is…Hamza in town, Chi-hung?” he asked slowly.

With his ears folded back, Chi-hung whined softly, sounding lost and worried. Immediately, everyone shared a look. If Hamza wasn’t in town, then the only logical place for him to be was the-

“Lynus!”

Jumping at the sound of his name being called, Lynus immediately placed the Item Codex onto the table and ventured out of the room, one red-head, two blonds and one white tiger right behind him.

“Rahas?” Lynus questioned as the dark hunter rushed over to him, he being the one to shout his name. “What's wrong?”

“Something's going on,” Rahas said bluntly, looking frustrated and antsy. “Hamza is about to do something stupid.”

Lynus reeled his head back slightly in shock. “What-?”

“Cedric, that troubadour,” Rahas said in a hurried manner, trying to give a lot of detail while being as short as possible. “He's being held captive by some guild. I don't know who, but they want Hamza to give them the Tree Key, opening the door on the second floor.”

For a moment, the small group fell silent, all trying to process the information they just received. It was actually quite a lot to take in. Cedric being taken hostage. Tree key. Locked door on the second floor? What in the world was going on?

“Tree Key?” Axel finally questioned, sounding confused as he had never heard of the key before.

“What’s that?” Jhon also questioned. “He's never mentioned anything about it.”

“Well, whatever it is, he has it and he's heading into the labyrinth,” Rahas insisted, becoming more and more agitated with every second that ticked by.

Lynus gasped. “By himself? Why would he...?” he suddenly trailed off, a look of realisation appearing on his face. Things were starting to make sense to him now.

“Lynus?” Axel gently prodded, pulling Lynus from his musings.

“We have to go,” Lynus said as he turned to face Axel, his hand gripping at the front of Axel’s shirt. “Cedric is his former teammate. Something must have happened to Hamza's former guild. Something to do with that key.”

Axel looked into his eyes, not entirely understanding what Lynus was referring to. He soon nodded his head, though, knowing that there was no time to sit around and talk about possible theories.

“Right, it doesn't matter,” Axel said as he placed his hand on the small of Lynus’ back, giving him a slight push. “Lynus, round everyone up. Jhon, Tobyn, we need to get ready for battle.”

“Understood.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much BeastOfTheSea for commenting on the previous chapter! Hope you'll enjoy reading this one as well!

As Hamza entered the labyrinth, the first thing he laid his eyes on was the injured and unmoving form of a Lagaard Soldier. There was always a guard at the front entrance to aid first time explorers with their very first mission. He must have tried to interfere when he realised that the guild entering was holding someone against their will.

Hamza wasn’t sure who of the guild was responsible for this latest crime, but he was fairly certain that it wasn’t Anaxarete. She preferred to give the orders rather than doing much herself.

Checking the man over, Hamza was relieved to realise that he was still alive. Unconscious, but alive. There was no foreseeable risk of him dying. Hopefully another explorer or guard will stumble across him soon and take him to the hospital.

Hamza had to get going. He couldn’t risk being late for even a moment.

Getting through the first and second floors wasn’t difficult for him. The monsters, once quite fearsome to him, were barely worth pausing for anymore.

Hamza ran up a narrow path to where a group could be seen waiting in front of a closed door. As he drew closer, he noticed with intense anger that Cedric was still being manhandled harshly, in a show of force and nothing more. His health was deteriorating. With a hand clamped over his mouth and being drugged around, it was hardly a surprise.

He needed to get him to safety and to the hospital.

“About time you showed up,” War magus Anaxarete scoffed, looking highly impatient as she indicated toward the seal incrusted door with a wave of her hand. “Give me the key.”

Ignoring the way Cedric was shaking his head at him, Hamza revealed the key, presenting it in his open palm. The very second he did so; Anaxarete snatched the key and gripped it tightly in her hands, a look of triumphant on her face. It seemed to Hamza that she had been waiting to get her hand on this key for years.

With a rather superior sway of her hips, Anaxarete made her way toward the door, more than intent in opening it right now. She lifted the key in front of her and of the door. A mere showing of the key with the intention of the door to open was normally enough to unseal the lock.

However, it wouldn’t work. She pressed the key up against the door, but still nothing would happen. The Tree Key simply was not responding to her. Irritated, she threw it to a teammate, ordering her to open the door. Silently, the ronin did as she was order. Yet, it would not open for her, either.

One by one, each member of the Infamous Guild tried to open the door through the use of the key, and one by one, they failed. Hamza was baffled as they were. True, he had not used the key for many years. It still should be as effective as ever.

It was the right key. No mistaking it.

With her lips pressed together in a tight, thin line, Anaxarete turned to look at him with a dangerous expression. “This better be the right key,” she hissed at him.

“It will only work for me,” Hamza said, inwardly hoping he sounded convincing. “Hand it back.”

Reluctantly, Anaxarete did just that, glaring at him the entire time. Gripping the key tightly, Hamza drew in a sharp breath as he approached the door. As he drew closer, glowing lines appeared, making out the eccentric pattern of a tree within a glowing circle. As soon as he lifted the key, the light brightened and the door slid open with a grinding sound.

Immediately, Anaxarete and her guild stepped through the door, dragging Cedric with them, so Hamza had no choice but to follow. He didn’t want to step within these naturally formed halls again. Not after what had happened seven years ago. He most certainly didn’t want Cedric to be here.

For some reason, as they moved well beyond the doors, they remained open. When Hamza and his guild had first stepped across the threshold, the doors had slid shut behind them the very second they were over the threshold.

He didn’t have time to dwell on that.

“The door is open now,” Hamza said as he looked at Anaxarete, giving her a very pointed look as he indicated to Cedric. “Release him.”

A slight scowl appeared on Anaxarete’s face, clearly not liked being on the receiving end of a demand, but she made a motion with her hand toward the gunner. Silently, the male gunner nodded his head and released his hold on Cedric.

Lurching forward, Cedric struggled to stay on his feet and he clutched at his throat. As he staggered toward him, Hamza met him half way and reached out to him catch him as he stumbled. Cedric gripped at Hamza’s arm as Hamza wrapped the other around his back, holding him protectively close next to him.

Although it may be a silly question, Hamza still wanted to ask, “Are you all right?”

Cedric shook his head, his silver hair falling haphazardly over his shoulders. “You shouldn’t have come,” he said, his voice a little raspy.

“It’ll be all right,” Hamza said simply as he inauspiciously slid the key back into his back pocket.

He then removed his cloak and wrapped it around Cedric’s shoulders, tugging it tightly around him. Cedric grasped at the material with his hands and stayed close to Hamza as possible as he skittishly looked around. Cedric’s fear was understandable. The last time they had ventured through this door…had not ended well.

“You,” Anaxarete said as she pointed a finger at the gunner. “Watch the door. We don’t want intruders.”

The scruffy looking male nodded his head. “Right,” he said, speaking for the first time.

Hamza watched the man did as he was ordered with a suspicious look before turning his attention back to Anaxarete, keeping an arm around Cedric. “We’ll be taking our leave now.”

“You two aren’t going anyway,” Anaxarete snapped. “There must be a reason why you haven’t used the key before.”

“And you’re the only one who can use that key,” another guild member suddenly stated. “So you’re stuck with us.”

While another added. “You’re also going to be our shields.”

Cedric curled closer to him as Hamza looked at his former rivals with an expression of intense hatred on his face. They were ruthlessly competitive before. But now, they moved beyond competitiveness. Explorers and adventures were meant to look out for one another. Having rivalries with other guilds not at all unusual.

They were acting…ruthless. Doing whatever they felt was necessary to get what they wanted. Never mind who they hurt along the way. And it wasn’t just Anaxarete. The other members of her party weren’t just following her orders because she was their leader. They were following willingly.

What could have possibly happened to them to make them so…power crazy?

“Let’s see what you’ve been hiding from everyone,” Anaxarete said as she took the lead.

There were three doors on the southern wall. Two of which, Hamza knew first hand, lead to areas of no significance. The very first door simply led to a long hallway with a dead-end. Nothing to be seen there. The second led to a small room. Again, nothing of note.

The third door, however…

Hamza felt Cedric tremble against his side as they were pushed toward that door.

As they walked down the narrow pathway, Hamza felt his heartrate increase. He could feel Cedric becoming more fearful and nervous. It was of no surprise. They were heading to that spot. That place where…everything changed for them.

Everything.

Could they not sense it? Could they not feel the breathtaking aura of utter menace in the air? They were heading toward something powerful and dangerous. How could they not feel that? Were they really that pompous that whatever was the cause of this foreboding was not a threat to them?

After stepping from the narrow path into a small chamber, Anaxarete and the others immediately focused all their attention to the only feature – a door facing south. They headed straight over to it, pushing Hamza and Cedric along with them.

Having remained mostly calm during the whole ordeal, any composure he had left went out the window the second Anaxarete rapped her knuckles against the door to open it.

“No!” Hamza shouted as Cedric gripped onto the front of his shirt tightly. “Don’t go beyond those doors!”

“Hiding something from us, old man?” Anaxarete asked him with an impish smile on her lips as the doors began to slide open in front of her.

Hamza was unable to answer for the moment the doors opened; a tremendous roar caused the trees around them to tremble and birds to flutter frantically into the air. All Hamza could do was shield Cedric against his chest and dive onto the ground a few feet away as a blast of pure power and energy was funnelled through the opened doors.

Anaxarete and her guild mates didn’t even have the time to look surprised.

Landing heavily on the green grass on the ground, Hamza continued to shield Cedric as he looked toward the door. The scent of searing of flesh and foliage filled the air with an ominous stench. The smell immediately took him back seven years.

It was the same…

It was exactly the same of what happened seven years ago.

Just like his previous guild, those standing directly in the doorway…no longer existed.

A large reptilian beast, scales of green and beige could be seen roaring irritably into the air. The beast was too big to pass through the door. But it didn’t need to. It clambered over the top of the door, perching itself on the archway and superiorly towering over the natural formed room. It was so big. So large. So menacing.

Hamza had seen it before. Although he wished he hadn’t.

It was the Wyvern.

That was the beast that took out Hamza’s previous guild and caused Cedric’s ill health.

That was the beast to changed Hamza’s life so irrefutably.

That was the reason why he had kept the Tree Key hidden for so long.

The Wyvern flapped its wings in an agitated manner as it looked over the room with a few turnings of its regal head. It was obvious that it didn’t like anyone straying into its territory. It soon stilled, the pupils of its eyes narrowing into thin slits. Its ominous presence grew in intensity. It was almost as if it recognised them. The two that got away.

…They weren’t going to get out of this alive.

… … … … …

“There is only one locked door on this floor,” Tobyn said as he led the entire Guardians Guild through the familiar foliage of the Ancient Forests. “It must lead to a larger, unexplored area.”

“Know anything about it?” Axel asked as he gripped the handle of his axe in one hand as he held Lynus’ hand in his other.

“Nothing,” Tobyn answered bluntly as they slid over the grass while taking a sharp corner, tearing up a straight path that headed north. “As far as I know, no one has been beyond it before. There must be something dangerous there. That’s the only reason why Hamza would keep it hidden from us.”

“Then we better get ready for anything.”

The door at the end of the path that was usually locked tight was wide open, only a single figure standing in front of it, leaning against the frame in an impatient manner. The man, who looked like a gunner, snapped his head up when he heard them approach. He pushed himself into a standing position and reached for his weapon.

He must be guarding the door to prevent anyone else from entering. Willing to use force if necessary. Why, was a good question, but in all honesty, they didn’t care.

“Who the hell are you?” Axel asked harshly as he and the others forced themselves to a stop, they, too, reaching for their own weapons.

“He’s the one who had Cedric,” Rahas abruptly informed everyone, practically spitting out those words.

“Is he now?” Axel murmured as he pushed Lynus behind him and took a threatening step forward, stretching to his full height. “Are you really going to stand in our way?”

The gunner immediately looked wary and his hold on his weapon quivered for a mere moment. He glanced at each of them, one by one, before wisely stepping back. “Just following orders,” he muttered rather lamely.

“Don’t care,” Axel snapped, the tension in his posture not relaxing at all as everyone stepped over the threshold of the door. “Just make sure no one else enters. Now, which way did they go?”

Before the man could answer, a beastly roar, unlike anything they had ever encountered before, just about rattled their bones, rocking them to the core. Everyone became instantly still, all wearing identical expressions of surprise (mixed with fear) on their faces.

“…What the hell was that?” Axel asked quietly as he reached out to Lynus, instinctively wanting him to be close to him in case of any danger.

“Nothing that I’ve heard before,” Tobyn murmured under his breath as he skittishly looked around.

Everyone shared a brief look. Going toward the source of the noise would mean they were heading into danger. Facing off against something that sounded that powerful would be suicide. They knew it could possibly be dangerous. And deadly.

…Hamza and Cedric were in danger. They needed to get to them.


	4. Chapter 4

Hamza’s right arm was useless. A large jagged gash of broken and seared flesh started from his shoulder and went all the way down to his elbow. He did not know the true extent of his injuries, but he was more than certain that there was muscle and bone damage.

He, however, didn’t feel any of the pain. Adrenaline and desperation was leaving him thankfully numb.

The loss of blood, however, was making it difficult for him to think and plan. He had managed to dodge the Wyvern’s powerful energy attacks, but while trying to protect Cedric, he was lightly grazed. It showed how powerful the Wyvern was. A mere side-swipe left him near incapacitated.

He was lucky that he had survived as long as he had. But…he wouldn’t be able to last much longer. He had taken them refuge behind a tree, kneeling on the ground with Cedric clinging onto him in fear and desperation. There was nothing he could do. Not with his arm nearly severed and his sword nowhere to be found.

“W-what are we to do, Hamza?”

Not wanting to take his eyes off the calculating Wyvern, Hamza simply tightened his left arm around Cedric’s shoulders, pulling him against him. Staying as close as possible, Cedric pressed his tattered cloak against his right arm in a futile attempt to stem the flow of blood.

All he had left was enough energy to distract the Wyvern, giving Cedric the time to run. He had a warp wire, but they were ineffective when a FOE had instigated a battle. The power of such a beast cancelled out the power of the warp wire, making such an escape impossible.

“Hamza?” Cedric said in a soft whisper.

“You must run,” Hamza urged as the tree they were hiding behind was suddenly and destructively splintered above their heads.

Cedric shook his head frantically before he buried his face deeper into his shoulder, his arms tightening around him. “I want to be with you…” he whispered softly.

Hamza felt the air escape his lungs, and yet he closed his eyes as he readjusted his arm around Cedric’s shoulders, holding him closer. He wasn’t afraid. Just…he regretted the method. He regretted not being more open with his guild mates. Was it fitting or ironic that they should met the same fate that their teammates met seven years ago?

At least he knew his guild would be fine without him as leader.

With a trickle of blood trailing down from head, dripping down between his brow to his nose, diverting toward his left eye, Hamza gazed up at the Wyvern. It was as tall and breathtaking as he remembered.

“You’re…just as formable as the last time we met,” he murmured as the Wyvern, flapping its wings furiously in the middle of the room, stared him down.

The Wyvern landed heavily close to where they were resigned to their fate. It then lowered its head and opened its mouth. The air crackled with intensity. It was about to unleash yet another of its powerful energy attacks. There was no dodging this one.

It was so close he could almost touch it…

“Stunner!”

Suddenly, there was a distinct sound of metal lashing out, striking a solid object. The terrifying energy that was gathering around the room suddenly dissipated. The Wyvern made a sound that could only be described as a noise of distress as its head whipped to the side, away from Hamza and Cedric but some equally powerful force.

The Wyvern…? It appeared slack jawed, off-balanced and stunned.

“Back off, you piece of shit!”

Hamza felt his eyes widened and his breath hitch in his throat. He immediately recognised that voice.

“No…” he murmured as several figures appeared before him, purposely placing themselves between him and the Wyvern.

His guild…? All of them? They couldn’t be here. It was too dangerous!

Axel was at the very front of the group, placing himself directly in front of the Wyvern. His back was hunched, his shoulders tense as he gripped the handle of his axe in a violent grip. There was a large chip within the blade of his axe, a testament to the power he had to wield in order to stun the Wyvern.

It also showed how much power Axel had at his disposal.

“Magnus!” Axel called out as the Wyvern continued to look stunned, shaking its head in an attempt to clear it. “Can you create a wall of ice to give us some coverage?”

“Yes!” Magnus surprisingly stated without hesitation as he strode to the front, the air crackling around him as he called force his greatest strength. He raised his hands in front of him, his arms straight and strong as a fearsome focus appeared in his eyes. “Cocytus!”

A deathly cold accumulated within the room as shards of ice suddenly sprouted up from the ground, snaking across the floor in one solid wall. The wall of ice separated them from the Wyvern, momentarily blocking them from its view. It also led straight to the narrow path, their only escape route.

Hamza, however, knew that such a structure would not slow the Wyvern down for very long.

“Great job!” Axel complimented.

“I-it won’t last long,” Magnus conceded with a frown.

Axel nodded his head, having already suspected that himself. “It’ll last long enough.”

“Hamza! Mr Cedric!”

Before Hamza could say or do anything, his view was suddenly filled with the sight of a highly concerned and somewhat frantic Lynus. He was kneeling in front of him, his hands immediately seeking out his wounds and injuries. He glanced over at Cedric, the silver-haired troubadour having fainted from the stress. Although unconscious, he wasn’t in any distress. No, he was more concerned with him.

After spying the potentially life-threatening injury on his arm, Lynus became more focused. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a handful of thick, white bandages. Throwing aside his blood soaked cloak, Lynus uttered both healing and refresh spells, one after the other, as he wrapped his arm tightly.

“How are they, Lynus?” Axel asked as he glanced over his shoulder.

“The sooner they get out of here, the better,” Lynus said rather tersely, barely pausing in his healing.

“You shouldn’t be here…” Hamza insisted, dizzy from the blood loss. “It’s too powerful.”

“We’re not going to kill it,” Axel suddenly stated. “We’re going to incapacitate it. Lynus, tells us where the aim to effect it’s status.”

Tearing his gaze from his healing work, Lynus looked at Axel with an expression of surprise on his face. He, however, pressed his lips into a thin line as he glanced over at the Wyvern that could still be seen over the top of the wall of ice. He studied it silently for a moment before his eyes narrowed slightly. He then suddenly glanced over at Macerio, beckoning him over to him.

“Macerio,” Lynus said as the brown-haired gunner knelt down next to him, gripping at his gun with both hands. Lynus leaned close to him as he pointed to the Wyvern. “Aim for just under the chin or the hinge of its jaw, where you can bind its head and mouth.”

Macerio narrowed in on where Lynus was pointing at and he nodded his head. “Got it!” he said as he leapt to his feet and sprinted off to the side, setting well-aimed shots directly at its head, just over the wall of ice that Magnus was focusing on maintaining.

Lynus then indicated to Tobyn, the blond-haired survivalist doing the same that Macerio did, slipping onto the grass to kneel next to him. “Tobyn, there’s an artery on either side of its neck,” Lynus explained as he indicated to his own neck, his fingers immediately seeking out the pulse points. “Aim sleeper there and it should put it to sleep right away.”

Tobyn looked at where Lynus was indicating to before glancing up at the Wyvern. It didn’t take him long to work out where the Wyvern’s pulse points where in its neck.

“Right,” Tobyn said as he, too, leapt to his feet, heading in a similar direction that Macerio did. And as he set his bow with the appropriate arrows, he called over to a fellow guild-mate. “Rahas, can you aim for the wings? We don’t need it taking to the air to get an advantage over us.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Rahas said as he immediately cracked his whip. He looked and sounded somewhat dubious of what he could do, but he was willing to try anything.

"Let me sing Mercury for you," Lirit said with a smile as he held his lute easily in his hands. "That should be able to increase your speed. The best form of protection is not getting hit in the first place!"

A loud roar suddenly resonated around the room, alerting everyone that the Wyvern had regained its senses. And was becoming annoyed.

“The best way to stun it is to aim for the side of the head,” Lynus said to Axel as the wall of ice began to shatter around them, despite the way Magnus was trying to build their only refuge. “No matter the skull, the temple is the weakest part. If you can hit it hard enough, you might even damage an artery.”

“My main goal is just stunning it for now,” Axel replied over the echoes of attacks being fired off by his teammates. “Jhon, Shen, you two get Hamza and Cedric out of here.”

“Understood,” Jhon said as he hoisted his shield onto his back and dashed his way over to Hamza. Jhon’s protective skills would be very useful in such a battle, but he was the only one strong enough to aid Hamza as the loss of blood made it so Hamza could not help himself.

Wordlessly, and reluctantly, Hamza released his hold on Cedric and allowed Shen to pick Cedric up into his arms, holding him easily and carefully.

“Chi-hung, any kind of distraction would be useful,” Axel continued to give out the orders. He then turned to Lynus and placed his hand on his shoulder, pushing him toward their only escape route. “Lynus, go.”

Lynus, however, dug his heels in and refused to move. “No, I need to heal any injuries here. Hamza and Cedric aren’t in any danger of losing their lives. I will heal them when we’re all safe.”

Axel looked as if he wanted to argue, but after hearing a loud curse one of their battling teammates yelled, he quickly realised that Lynus was right. As he usually was. “Ok. Stay at the back,” he finally relented.

Jhon positioned Hamza so that his arm was around over his shoulders and behind his neck. He then helped him to his feet. Jhon wanted to help him in such a way that it wouldn’t cause him more pain, but he also wanted to get him to a safe place as quickly as possible in order to return to his teammates sides and help out in battle.

“This might be a bit rough, Hamza,” Jhon said to him.

Despite his dizziness, Hamza managed to grant the blond-haired protector a small smile. Relying heavily on Jhon’s strength, he tried to focus his attention on moving, to get away from the danger as quickly as possible so that he his guild would not be facing danger for longer than they had to.

He, however, couldn’t help but listen to their struggle. He could hear them shouting to each other over the shrieks and roars of the Wyvern.

“Lirit, trying singing Erasure for us!”

“Right away!”

“God dammit, succumb to the head shot already, you asshole!”

“Tobyn, try to alternate between sleeper and poisoner!”

“Understood!”

“Fucking Cuffs already!”

A loud whip crack cut through the air, the sound of a shriek quickly following. A mere second after that, there was a triumphant yell. “About time!”

Rahas…he must have been able to prevent it from flying like he had set out to do.

The sound of someone running toward them caused Hamza and Jhon to come to an abrupt stop. Unexpectedly, it was Rahas who appeared next to them. Using his whip, he tied it around Hamza’s upper arm, prompting a hiss to pass from his lips. However, he knew what he was doing. He was using his whip as a tourniquet. He must be leaving a bit of a blood trail as he walked.

Doing something even more surprising, Rahas nudged Jhon out of the way and took his place. “I’ll take it from here,” he said. “Protect Lynus. I took out a wing, but it’s still pissed.”

Having the mind not to argue, Jhon simply removed his shield from his back and harnessed it easily with one arm. “Alright,” he uttered before vaulting toward the battle.

Before Hamza could ask him what he was doing, Rahas levelled him with a glare. “I’ll chew you out later, old man,” he said as he all but dragged him from the room.

Although it was difficult for the both of them, Rahas managed to help Hamza up the narrow pathway and toward the exit. Every step they took, Hamza felt himself getting weaker and weaker. But he kept moving. The sooner he was out of the way, the sooner his guild could get themselves out of danger.

As they stepped into the large chamber with the sealed door, the unnamed male gunner was immediately seen loitering around. He was no doubt concerned for his guildmates after hearing such fearsome noises. He, however, wasn’t making any attempt to actually go and see what was going on.

Well…orders were orders, after all.

“What the hell is going on?” the gunner asked, but Shen silenced him quickly with a stoic and cold stare.

Shen then carefully lowered Cedric onto a patch of soft grass near the sealed door that was remarkably still open. After ensuring that Cedric was breathing, Shen then stood up tall.

“Will you be able to protect them?” Shen abruptly asked as he gripped the handle of his blade tightly, his back straight and his shoulders tense.

“We’ll be fine,” Rahas quickly insisted as he helped lower Hamza to the ground, next to where Cedric was resting. “Get them out of there.”

“Hn.”

Shen didn’t need to be told twice. With a focused look in his eyes, Shen raced back toward the raging battle, no hesitation or fear in his posture. Just sheer determination.

Leaning against the base of a tree, Hamza closed his eyes and rested his head back against the bark. He tried to control his breathing, to slow his heartrate to prevent further blood loss. However, he could still hear them. He could still hear them battling.

They were still in dangerous.

“All Guard!”

_“Shit!”_

“Jhon!”

“I’m fine!”

“Don’t worry! I’ll heal any injury!”

“I’ll stun it one more time! Tobyn, Macerio; you’ve got one shot!”

“Right!”

Hamza clutched his shoulder tightly, finding it difficult to breathe. Please, whoever was listening, he’d willingly give up his arm, give up his entire life, just let his guild return alive. Please let them live…

…Yggdrasil…Don’t take them, please…

Another deafly loud shriek caused Hamza to wince and the trees around them to tremble. As the leaves from the trees fluttered around them, there was a sudden and tense silence. It was a deathly form of silence.

The silence was soon disrupted, however, a loud noise that could only be described as a thud, like something big and heavy crashing to the ground.

After that a voice broke the quietness with a loud command. “Let’s move, people!”

Hamza opened his eyes and sat up straight. He looked over at Rahas, the Dark Hunter having heard the same thing he did. In silence, they both looked over in the direction of the only path leading to the Wyvern.

There was the sound of running feet. Then, from around the corner, people appeared.

One, two…eight. Eight of them. All of them.

They were alive.

All of them.

Hamza immediately felt intense relief. A sense of relief he had never felt before. He sagged against the tree, tension completely draining from his body. They actually did it. They outwitted the Wyvern. They had escaped.

His guild quickly made their way over to him, Lynus immediately fussing over him. Hamza wanted to push him away so that he could check up on Cedric as his health hadn’t been the best the last few days. However, Lynus would not budge. His concern was focused solely on his arm. He wasn’t asking any questions, he was just uttering healing spells under his breath.

Hamza knew his silence wasn’t exactly good. His arm was worse than he thought.

“We want some answers, old man,” Rahas suddenly demanded, appearing as if he wanted to do nothing more than to kick him in the head or something. “What the hell? You’re always going on about how I shouldn’t venture into the labyrinth alone, and what do you go and do? And what’s with this key? How long have you had it? Why haven’t you told anyone?”

He asked some good questions. Hamza could feel that everyone else wanted to know as well. They were just more subtle about it. “I have my reasons,” he insisted.

Rahas’ right eyebrow twitched. “And they are?”

Readjusting the whip that was being used as a tourniquet, Lynus sighed and made a quick motion with his hand for everyone to keep their questions to themselves for now. The way Lynus was able to quieten everyone with a mere motion of his hand was actually quite impressive.

“Rahas, easy,” Lynus said in a firm, yet still somewhat understanding and gentle manner.

“No, it’s all right,” Hamza said wearily. “It’s understandable that you have questions.”

They were sure to have a lot of hard questions for him. But it was all right. They deserved to know the truth. The very least he could do was to tell them everything that had happened.

“Hey.” That gunner was still hanging around, having staying silent in the background the entire time. “Where’s my guild?”

A look of surprise appeared on Axel’s face and he looked around at his guild mates, all of them wearing a look of confusion. “Good question,” he said. “We didn’t see anyone else there.”

Hamza sighed loudly and touched his forehead with his left hand. “That’s because they no longer exist,” he stated with remorse in his voice.

Although they were ruthless and reckless, no one deserved to be killed like that.

Everyone fell into an uncomfortable and dense silence.

“Let’s head back to town,” Lynus said. “I’ll need to look at your injuries more closely. We’ll take Mr Cedric with us.”

Giving a new task to do, everyone banded together once again to help Hamza and Cedric back into town and to safety.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much BeastOfTheSea for commenting on the previous chapter! Yay for the last chapter of this mini-series. Hope you'll enjoy reading!

His head felt heavy and his body felt like he weighed a tonne. Thankfully, he was lying upon something soft and warm. His right shoulder and arm, however, felt stiff and immobile. Something very constrictive was wound tightly, adding pressure and support. It also felt somewhat…numb.

“Hamza?”

Forcing his eyes to open, the first thing he saw through his blurry vision was the familiar sight of Lagaard’s head doctor. Dr Stiles appeared to leaning over him, one hand touching the inside of his left wrist. He was looking at his watch. He must be checking for his pulse.

“Derek?” Hamza questioned, startled by how croaky and groggy his voice sounded.

Glancing up from his watch, Dr Stiles gave him a relieving smile. “You’re going to feel dizzy for a while. That’s normal coming out of surgery.”

“Surgery?” Hamza murmured, feeling confused. However, his mind soon began to clear and he remembered the events that occurred when they staggered back into town.

Lynus had insisted in taking him to the hospital rather than to the inn. He had insisted in such a way that no one argued or questioned him. Axel and Jhon, the two who had been helping him, had immediately dragged him to the hospital.

He didn’t really remember much more than that, though. He did, however, remember feeling somewhat alarmed. Lynus had the skill to heal anyone, anywhere. He was used to healing others in the confinements of their rooms at the inn. When they staggered into the hospital, Lynus startling everyone with a surprisingly amount of authoritativeness in his voice that he was borrowing a ‘room’, Hamza knew his injuries were severe.

They must have made quite a sight.

Rolling his head to the side to look at his heavily bandaged arm, Hamza blinked slowly at it before turning his attention back to Dr Stiles. “Did you-?”

“No. Lynus,” Dr Stiles interrupted him with a slight smile. “He knew the circumstances of your injury better than I. He has an interesting technique.”

“Does he now?” Hamza commented idly as he turned to look at his arm once more. Yeah, it was still there.

“Indeed,” Dr Stiles replied, equally blasé. He, however, heaved a loud sigh. “Hamza-”

“How’s Cedric?” Hamza asked quickly, intentionally cutting him off.

Dr Stiles stared at Hamza over the rim of his glasses for a moment before sighing again and taking a seat on a chair next to his bed. “His lungs have deteriorated somewhat,” he explained as he crossed his legs and folded his arms over his chest. “But it’s mostly due to stress. You’ve done a wonderful job protecting him.”

Hamza released a slow breath. “That’s reassuring to know.”

“Your arm,” Dr Stiles said, his voice holding a light sense of scolding. “You could have lost it. If Lynus hadn’t administered aid as quickly as he did, you would have lost more than your arm.”

Those words didn’t hit him as hard as they probably should have. He knew that his arm was not in the best shape when the injury occurred. His injured arm wasn’t what was bothering him. Losing it did little to concern him, then and now. He could have lived with a missing arm.

Something else was causing him more alarm. The sight of his guildmates purposely placing themselves in danger right in front of him…

“I could have lost a whole lot more,” Hamza whispered.

Dr Stiles became silent for a moment, understanding what he was referring to exactly. Dr Stiles knew everything that had happened seven years ago. He was the doctor that treated Cedric immediately afterwards. Dr Stiles was the only one, besides Hamza and Cedric of course, that knew of the Wyvern's whereabouts on the second floor.

“…Seems as though the Wyvern claimed another guild,” Dr Stiles commented, a sense of sadness yet anger in his voice.

“Guild Infamous,” Hamza breathed, feeling nothing but pity for them now. “They were so ruthless.”

“Yes, I know,” Dr Stiles said, causing Hamza to roll his head to the side to look at him. “I heard all about it from your guild.”

Hamza nodded his head and swallowed thickly. “How are they?”

“They’re fine,” Dr Stiles immediately stated. “Considering what they’ve been through. They’re more worried about you. The fact that Lynus staggered out of surgery probably didn’t help,” he added with a small chuckle.

Hamza couldn’t prevent a grimace appearing on his face. “How is he?”

Dr Stiles smiled at him. “He’s fine. Tired, but fine. Everyone is.”

Hamza sighed, lifting his left hand to clutch at his forehead. “That’s reassuring.”

“I’ve heard bits and pieces about the battle,” Dr Stiles went on to say. “They had managed to put the Wyvern to sleep in the middle of battle. That's very impressive."

It truly was. He’d have to hear more about it later.

After a moment of silence, Hamza decided that he needed to sit up. Get up. He couldn’t cause his guild anymore concern. He needed to show them that he was fine. It was what a leader should do. He had been…lacking in his leadership skills lately.

With Dr Stiles’ help, Hamza was able to pull himself into sitting up without causing any pressure or strain to his injuries. He felt a little bit of light-headedness, but otherwise he felt fine. Tired and just a little bit stiff, but fine.

“Well, now that you’re awake, I’ll tell your guild and you can go home to the inn,” Dr Stiles said after ensuring that Hamza could sit up without help. “You’ll be more comfortable there. Besides, I’m sure you’d rather talk in private.”

Hamza nodded his head as he scooted the rest against the edge of the bed.

Dr Stiles turned to walk out the door, pausing for a mere moment to tell him, “The key is still in your pocket.”

Immediately, Hamza reached out with his left hand to test his pocket. Sure enough, the key was there, safe and sound. He sighed with relief. “Thank you, Derek.”

As Dr Stiles walked out of the room, Hamza found himself alone with his thoughts. He continuously replayed the day’s events over and over in his mind. He knew he should have at least told his guild about the key and about the dangers behind such locked doors.

But how could he tell a group of young, inexperienced explorers that his former guild was slaughtered right in front of him? He didn’t keep that a secret because he was afraid that they wouldn’t accept him as a leader. He did it because he didn’t want to frighten them from exploring or goad them into taking revenge.

Even after entering the fourth stratum, he kept it a secret. He had told himself, convinced himself it was because they weren’t ready, weren’t strong enough yet. However, the truth was…he was afraid of losing them, too. To lose them like that…like his old guild, he would not be able to handle it. No matter who survived and who didn’t, Hamza would rather kill himself then to go through that pain again.

Hamza was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of the door opening. Stepping inside was Axel, who was still dressed in the seared and torn clothing he wore in the labyrinth. His axe, however, was missing.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Axel asked, a look of relief on his face.

“Just a bit dizzy,” Hamza answered honestly.

“Here, I’ll give you a hand,” Axel said dutifully as he moved to Hamza’s left and lifted his arm to rest over his shoulders. He then slipped an arm around Hamza’s waist to hold him straight.

With Axel’s help, Hamza was able to hobble from the room and into the hallway, immediately making a beeline to the exit. However, situated in the waiting room was a small group of his guildmates.

Cedric was sitting down in a chair with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He looked pale and washed out, utterly exhausted. He, however, had a smile on his face. A small one, but a smile nonetheless as he regarded both Lynus and Lirit who were fussing over him.

The others, however, were nowhere to be seen. They were probably at the inn organising for their return.

“You’re staying at the inn tonight so I can keep an eye on you,” Lynus said in a no-arguing-allowed manner.

Cedric nodded his head before pointing out, “You need rest, too.”

“Yes, he does,” Axel stated in an equally no-nonsense tone, turning his complete attention on Lynus. “We’ll take turns keeping watch. We’ll wake you if anything should happen,” he added in a pacifying manner.

“Alright, alright,” Lynus relented with a sigh, his shoulders sagging slightly in defeat. “I’ll get some rest after everyone is settled.”

“We better get to the inn,” Lirit said as he tugged at Lynus’ sleeve, smiling at him. “Before the others storm the hospital again.”

The trek through town and to the inn was a thankfully silent one. It was late at night now, the time of night where explorers who had ventured through the labyrinth during the day were either at home or settled in at the inn, and those who were to travel through the labyrinth at night where in the midst of their journey.

“There you are!” Macerio was the one who greeted them the moment they stepped into the inn’s lobby. “We were starting to get worried. I’ve spoken to Matron and we’re placing Cedric in Hamza’s room. I’ll be rooming with Lirit and Rahas tonight.”

“Thank you, Macerio,” Lynus immediately said as he and Lirit ushered Cedric toward Hamza’s usual room.

“Tea room, first,” Hamza said instead as he indicated in the opposite direction. “I need to explain myself.”

“It can wait until morning,” Lynus said kindly.

But Hamza shook his head. “No, I don’t think I can.”

Lynus and Axel shared a look, communicating silently through their eyes. Shortly afterwards, Lynus sighed and nodded his head, giving the ok. “I’ll help Mr Cedric to his room first.”

“Sure,” Axel said as he continued to help Hamza inside. “Macerio, can you get everyone?”

“Right,” Macerio said simply as he rushed off to do as he was told.

Macerio needn’t look too far, though. Magnus and Shen were already in the tea room, the fire blazing warmly in the fire place. Mere moments later, as Axel helped Hamza to sit down in a seat; the others had entered the room and gathered around.

“I’ll start from the very beginning,” Hamza said as he settled himself back into his seat. “It was seven years ago. I belonged to a rookie guild, one known famously as Reckless.”

“I’ve heard of that guild,” Tobyn muttered with an expression of surprise on his face. “They certainly lived up to their name.”

Jhon also looked startled. “Never imagined that you could be a part of it.”

Hamza gave a small laugh as he leaned back in his seat. The exploits of Reckless was still being passed around, were they? “Even I had to have been a rookie once,” he said.

Tobyn nodded his head in acceptance before a darken look came across his features. “I heard…that they were wiped out, though,” he said, solemnly.

The smile dropped from Hamza’s lips and he sighed deeply. “Yes. Only Cedric and I survived.”

“W-was it the Wyvern?” Magnus asked softly.

Leaning his head back, Hamza looked up at the ceiling. “We found the Tree Key and were eager to explore new doors and new pathways,” he explained before pausing for a moment, drawing in a deep breath through his nose. “The Wyvern found us first.”

While he could not see their expressions, he was fairly certain there were sympathetic and horrified winces on their faces.

“It was so strong,” he continued as he closed his eyes, his left hand reaching across his chest to gently trail his fingertips over the thick bandages of his right arm. “I had missed the brunt of the attack, having been at the rear of the group, out in the hallway. Cedric was right in front of me.”

Hamza had to pause again, willing his mind not to replay that image of Cedric lying in his arms, staring up at him with wide, unblinking eyes as he gasped desperately for breath. The sounds he made, the way he gripped at his arms as tears raced down his cheeks as he tried to simply breathe…

“Had he been a few steps further in front…he would also be dead,” Hamza found himself continuing. “He did not get away unharmed, though. All I could do was to grab Cedric and run. The others…they simply were not prepared.”

No armour could have stopped that attack…

“Death was immediate.”

“…This happened right in front of you?” Lynus asked softly, an array of heartfelt emotions on his face.

Hamza nodded his head. “Yes.”

The room fell into a somewhat unsettled and uncomfortable silence as everyone tried to understand and register what Hamza had explained to them. They were, no doubt, wondering how someone could move forward with their lives after such a traumatic experience. Truth be told, if Cedric hadn’t survived, Hamza had no idea where he would be now.

Dead, probably.

It was actually Cedric who convinced him to start his own guild to prevent another from meeting the same fate. Soon after creating his guild, he met Shen, and young friends Jhon and Tobyn. Chi-hung was a mere cub when he found him lost in the labyrinth.

Looking after Cedric and taking charge of a new guild…they gave him a new purpose.

“Who was this other guild?” Axel suddenly asked. “And why did they take Cedric hostage?”

“They were our heated rivals, apparently,” Hamza explained, unable to hide his distaste toward the explorers that caused so much trouble. “Guild Infamous. Everything was a competition to them. A competition where they would do anything to be first. I do not know how they learnt of the key.”

…That scent of burnt flesh was going to take a while for him to get out of his nose.

“It doesn’t matter now,” Hamza murmured solemnly. “They’re not a threat anymore.”

The members of Guild Guardians fell into silence once more. It must feel strange to them. Having to deal with a ruthless guild that caused so much trouble, but having no idea who any of them were. They never knew any of their names, they hadn’t even seen them, yet they were stuck dealing with the aftermath of their presence.

“Do you know much of this Wyvern?” Tobyn asked, either purposely trying to change the topic of conversation or was unable to keep his curiosity to himself anymore.

Hamza shook his head in disappointment. “No, not really.”

Nothing other than it was extremely agitated and powerful. The again, most FOEs were.

“I was just wondering why we hadn’t seen it before,” Tobyn said as he held his chin in thought. “It was able to climb over the natural barriers of the labyrinth, so there was nothing stopping it from making the second floor its personal playground.”

“I had wondered that, too,” Hamza said, closing his eyes for a moment as a low ache began to throb in his shoulder.

Standing at the back of the room, Magnus fidgeted with his hands. “Maybe the key is responsible?” he supplied almost hesitantly.

“It has to be…” Tobyn muttered, an expression of deep thought on his face.

Before anyone could fall further into speculation, Lynus stood up from his seat and clapped his hands, gaining everyone’s attention.

“That’s enough for now,” Lynus said as he walked over to Hamza and stood next to him, on his right side as he placed a hand on his shoulder, immediately uttering a soft refresh spell. “Hamza, you need rest. Why don’t you retire for the night? Axel, help him, please.”

“Sure,” Axel immediately responded and made his way over to Hamza’s left side. And much like he did at the hospital, hoisted him to his feet. “We’ll speculate about this Wyvern later.”

“The door?” Hamza questioned as he leaned against Axel. “Did it close?”

“Yes, straight after we left,” Axel answered as they made their way out of the tearoom and toward his room. “The gunner took off. We’re not sure where he went. I don’t think he’s a problem, though. He has no idea what happened and he’s alone.”

“I see,” Hamza murmured, suddenly feeling very tired.

“So, this…key,” Axel started, being careful not to speak the name of the key aloud, not wanting anyone else to get the idea of trying to take the key by force. “Any idea how many doors it’ll open?”

“Six,” Hamza answered with a tight jaw. “That I am aware of, at least.”

Next to him, Axel nodded his head rather grimly. “Right. A lot of hasty guilds would be after it.”

“Which is why I kept it hidden for so long,” Hamza couldn’t help but state. “The monsters trapped behind these doors…they’re very powerful.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Axel said as he unlocked the door to Hamza’s room and nudged it open with his foot. “We had figured that there was something dangerous and powerful behind that door. And that you had a good reason keeping the key a secret.”

Hamza was feeling torn between the emotions of relief that his guild trusted him so much and guilt from keeping such a big secret from them for so long.

Stepping into the room, Hamza immediately looked for Cedric. He soon spied him lying on his side on a bed, tucked in under the blankets. His breathing was slightly laboured, but that was to be expected. What was somewhat unexpected was that Cedric’s medication was situated on the bedside table next to his bed. Lynus must have picked some up from the hospital.

That young man…he was always thinking of others.

As Axel helped him to sit down onto the other bed, Hamza felt his mind wander again. There was another question that was still bothering him. The door stayed opened the entire time they were inside. Why had it remained open? He couldn’t help but feel as if it was waiting for something.

Or someone.

“Here are some pain killers,” Lynus’ voice pulled Hamza from his thoughts. Shaking his head to clear it, Hamza gave Lynus his attention as the devoted medic fussed over him, watching as he placed several bottles and folded white cloth onto the table.

“I got you a sling to make carrying your arm easier,” Lynus prattled off. “You won’t be using your arm for a while. While the flesh wounds have been mostly taken care of, the aches and strains will take time.”

“Yes, I understand,” Hamza dutifully replied. He had always made fun of Lynus’ medic mode (behind his back, of course) but this was the first time actually experiencing it. He was certainly dedicated.

After placing everything he was carrying down, Lynus folded his arms over his torso as he turned to face Hamza directly, a soft look in his eyes. “…Are you all right?” he asked gently, reaching up with a hand to lightly tap against his forehead. “Up here, I mean.”

Hamza made a noise that was a half sigh, half hum and smiled up at the orange-haired healer. “Yes, I’m fine.”

The sincere sympathy in Lynus’ eyes was almost overwhelming. “You must be remembering everything.”

Hamza nodded his head as he looked to the floor. “Like it happened yesterday.”

“It’s something that will never be forgotten.”

Immediately glancing over to the other bed, the small group noted that Cedric was sitting up in bed, his blankets pooled at his waist.

A sheepish look appeared on Lynus’ face. “Mr Cedric, sorry, did we wake you?”

“It’s all right,” Cedric replied with a small smile, looking and sounding better than he did before. “But, don’t you think it’s time for you to get some rest?”

Before Lynus could even think about uttering some form of protest, Axel’s hand clamped his shoulder. “Yes, I think it is,” he said in a rather firm manner.

Lynus immediately turned to look up at Axel, trying to give him a reassuring smile. He, however, was cut off from saying anything when a yawn bubbled up and he flushed with embarrassment. “I-I’ll go and get some rest now,” he said.

Watching the partners, Hamza felt a surge of reassurance wash over him. He remembered how the two, who wield such different skills, were able to work together to command the others in a battle that should have been deadly. Through them, everyone got out alive.

Reaching into his back pocket, Hamza pulled out the tree key. Holding it in the palm of his hand, he came to a decision. “Lynus, just a moment.”

Lynus immediately turned around to give him his full attention. “Yes?”

Hamza presented the key to him. “Here.”

Lynus blinked at him before looking down at the key. A look of confusion appeared on his face. “The Tree Key? Why are you-?”

“It’ll be safe with you,” Hamza insisted.

Gazing at the key for a moment, Lynus then lifted his hand and carefully picked up the key. He gripped it tightly with two hands and pressed them against his chest. “…It feels warm,” he murmured softly. He then looked straight into Hamza’s eyes and smiled. “I’ll take good care of it.”

“We’ll let you two get some rest now,” Axel said as he wrapped an arm around Lynus’ shoulders. With a few parting words, the two future leaders of the Guardian Guild left the room, softly closing the door behind them.

Sitting on the edge of his bed, Hamza couldn’t help but wonder…did that door stay open because Yggdrasil knew? About the power of a true healer, which was needed?

“I’m sorry,” Cedric suddenly apologised from his bed. “I was such a nuisance to you.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” Hamza stated firmly, turning to give his full attention to his friend sitting up in bed.

Cedric looked at him silently for a moment, their gazes catching each other’s easily across the room. He then sighed and pushed back the blankets, placing his feet on the floor and stood up. “I wish I could sing again…” he murmured as he crossed the short distance between them and sat next to Hamza on the bed, on his left.

“You will one day,” Hamza told him.

“Hm…” Cedric simply murmured before he suddenly leaned against him, resting his head against his left shoulder. Hamza reacted by slipping an arm around his shoulders, pulling him closer to him in order to give him comfort.

“You’ve raised a wonderful guild,” Cedric said as he closed his eyes.

Hamza nodded his head before resting his cheek against Cedric’s hair. “They have good heads on their shoulders.”

… … … … …

Three days after the now dubbed ‘Second Floor Event’, Hamza was accompanying Cedric to the hospital for a check-up of his lungs. Hamza, himself, had an appointment of his own. Both of them were, thankfully, on the improve, as they say. Hardly a surprise, considering.

“Ah, perfect timing,” Dr Stiles greeted the moment Hamza and Cedric stepped into Dr Stiles’ office.

Hamza nodded his head in return. He was about to apologise for being late when he found his attention drawn to the other person in the room. He was somewhat surprised to find Lynus was also there, seemingly waiting for them with a sense of expectation.

“Lynus here was just asking my advice regarding some new medicine he had been working on for Cedric,” Dr Stiles explained with a smile before turning to Lynus, making a motion with his hand toward Hamza and Cedric. He was prompting him to speak.

Lynus nodded his head as he revealed a notebook. “I was able to conclude that Mr Cedric’s illness is from the spore generated by the Wyvern’s attack,” he explained. “It works at close range, as distance lessens the potency of the spores. That is why Mr Cedric affected and Hamza wasn’t.”

Snapping the book shut, Lynus then smiled warmly at the both of them as he set the book down upon Dr Stiles’ desk and picked up a blue medicine bottle.

“I think this tonic that I’ve made should be able to remove the spores still attached to your lungs,” he said as he presented the bottle to a highly stunned Cedric.

He made that tonic? When did he have the time to do that so quickly?

“Unfortunately, you’ll be coughing up some phlegm for the next couple of days,” Lynus continued, giving Cedric a reassuring look. “But we can handle that, right?”

“Y-yes,” Cedric stuttered as he numbly took the tonic in his hands, never taking his eyes off of Lynus. “T-that will be fine.”

“We’ll have you singing again in now time, Mr Cedric,” Lynus added as he folded his arms behind his back, looking sincerely pleased and excited that he was able to help. “Lirit and Binah would love to read some of your songs. Maybe you could teach them?”

Cedric glanced down at the bottle in his hands that were trembling slightly. He then looked back toward Lynus, tears pooling in the corners of his eyes. “Cedric,” he said. “No mister. Just Cedric.”

Lynus blinked before smiling warmly, his head tilted ever so slightly to the side. “Sure.”


End file.
